The Ugly Pumpkin
by Addictedtobooks
Summary: Even though the couple usual carves a pumpkin together, Wally trusted Artemis with the task while he was forced to attend class. A mistake he learned to regret soon after. Happy Halloween everyone! Enjoy and please review if you have a spare minute :)


Halloween had always been one of Wally's favourite holidays. Sure you got free candy, got to dress up, and be goofy, but the thing he loved most was the pumpkins. Pumpkin seeds, pumpkin pie, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin tarts... He could even get pumpkin scented candles if we wanted - which he did, even though a certain archer had threatened him. Carving pumpkins was something he also loved; it was something he and Artemis had done together ever since the first year they started dating.

This year was different though. This year Wally had class on Devil's Night, the couples chosen day for pumpkin carvings. Artemis had told him that they could have moved it until the morning, but he'd turned the offer down. It was still tradition, she would just have to carve it on her own.

That was a poor move on his part he had decided that evening as he walked into their Palo Alto apartment. At first everything seemed completely normal and the smell of pumpkins had filled the air. The speedster had a huge grin on his face from the moment he'd stepped through the threshold. Until he heard his girlfriend that was.

"Ow! Mother..." A slew of wait he assumed to be muttered swear words tumbled out of the girls mouth.

He couldn't help but to chuckle a little. "Wally, is that you?" She called. The angry tone still rang in her voice, but the anger was clearly not aimed at him.

"Why yes it is. You okay, babe?"

"No," She grumbled loudly. He could hear stomps through the kitchen and watched as she emerged from the room. "this pumpkin is driving me crazy." She admitted, a small orange carving knife in hand.

Wally felt the corners of his lips turn up, "Would you like some help?" He asked, joining her and leading her back into the kitchen. His jaw dropped at the sight of the pumpkin. "Wh-What did you do to our beautiful pumpkin?" he asked, eyes widening at the horrific scene.

He winced slightly when her fist made hard contact on his upper arm, "I've been _trying_ to carve it!" She snapped, walking over to the monstrosity of a jack-o-lantern.

"Exactly what were you trying to accomplish?"

She frowned a bit, her eyes darting to the carved vegetable on their small table. "Well, at first I was just going to do a face... but then this awesome news anchor came on the TV and was showing off these great pumpkins some middle-schooler had made. They had carved a bunch of the Justice League symbols." She explained, shrugging slightly.

"So..." Wally started, one hand in his hair and one hand pointing at the pumpkin, "You tried duplicating them?"

"Not exactly."

"What _did_ you try?" He asked, eyebrows furrowing as she began to look more sheepish.

She smiled a bit, "I thought it would be cool to carve the old Team's symbols. So I tried doing all six on one pumpkin... The knife slipped, more than once, and this was what we were left with."

Wally's eyes glanced back over to the pumpkin and he slowly deciphered the holes and what was left of the symbols. He could see part of an 'R', half a lightning bolt, an 'X' and what looked like the outline of a superman symbol. "Babe," he muttered, sighing, "Why would you try all of them in one pumpkin?"

"Apparently I had too much faith in my abilities?"

"You could say that again," he mumbled quietly.

"Hey!" she yelled, pointing the plastic knife in her hand at him.

Automatically he put his hands in a stance of surrender, "You said it first." He sighed, lowering his hands. "What time is it?"

She frowned and looked towards the clock, "9:54, why?"

"Six minutes," he muttered softly before suddenly he was gone, whirling out the front door at top speed.

It had been awhile since he'd ran this fast. He could do it though, as long as he made it to the store in time he could take as long as he wanted to get back. "Sir!" Wally yelled, beginning to run at a normal human pace before the shop keeper could see him. "Are you still open?" he panted, grinning slightly at the man.

The older gentleman sighed wearily but nodded, "You're lucky. You got here just in time. What do you need?"

"Six pumpkins, please sir." Wally asked politely. He was ushered towards the bin of bright orange vegetables and Wally picked out the best ones he could find.

In a hurried manor he paid the owner and thanked him. As soon as he was out of the shop he pulled his phone out of his jacket pocket. "Artemis?" He said after he heard her pick up, "I need you to meet me by the store. I'd suggest you bring the bike."

"Wally, we do not have time to carve six more pumpkins."

The redhead only grinned at her though, "Of course we do, it's only 10:15!" he cheered, placing two of their new pumpkins on the table. He had already disposed of the original one.

"We're going to be up all night," She whined, but grinned a bit to show she was only exaggerating.

Wally rolled his eyes at her, "It's all part of the fun, beautiful." After that they got to work. Artemis drew the designs on the pumpkins well Wally emptied them, carefully removing the seeds and placing them in a bowl. They both took turns carving - though Wally kept an eye on the blonde when the knife was in her hand.

After a couple of hours the two sat back and looked at their handy work. Six pumpkins, lit up by the candles inside them, gleamed on their counter and table, each illustrating one of their friends symbols.

"Not bad," Artemis commented, hands on her hips as her eyes scouted over the lanterns.

"Not at all," Wally agreed, a wide grin on his face.

They began to move them outside, lining them up on their small porch. "They look... what is that?" Artemis demanded, eyebrows high on her head as she saw Wally with a seventh pumpkin.

He couldn't have kept the smirk off of his face even if he had tried, "I think the original has to be displayed too!" He told her with a laugh, placing her first pumpkin next to the rest.

She pouted a bit, a small laugh leaving her mouth, "It looks terrible." She said, looking up to meet his green eyes.

"It's just original," he told her with a wink. He heard her watch begin to beep, signalling that it had just become midnight. "Happy Halloween, babe." He said, leaning down to kiss her lightly.

"Happy Halloween, Wally."


End file.
